“Overall we did really well,” Sharks coach Roger Boucher said. “Personal best-wise it was around the 50 per cent mark, but in the middle of the season, it’s a good mark to hit.”

Boucher added that at this stage in the team’s training in preparation for the 2014 Manitoba/Saskatchewan Provincials in March, achieving personal best times is a little more difficult with fatigue being a major factor.

“What happens is, in different phases of training, right now is one of the harder phases,” Boucher explained. “Swimmer’s bodies are a lot more fatigued and it’s obviously harder to swim as fast as you ever have.”

The Sharks achieved favourable results in their first out-of-province meet of the season despite the fatigue factor, Boucher said.

“They were all good swims,” he said. “They did a great job of overcoming the fatigue.”

Out-of-province meets such as the one in Edmonton over the weekend are rare for the Sharks. At this point in the team’s development, they are focusing on competing at the provincial level before moving on to national meets.

“Right now we are at the provincial level and we are striving to get to that next level,” Boucher said. “This (Edmonton) was a good opportunity to see some kids swim really fast, that way they can get the experience so that when they get to the next level, it’s not such a shock.”

The Sharks are looking to the Little Caesars Winter Classic meet on Feb. 7 in Saskatoon before the big Man/Sask meet March 13-16 in Winnipeg.

Boucher said his swimmers are well on their way to being prepared for the Man/Sask Provincials, which will feature teams from across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Ontario.

“With them swimming best times in Edmonton, it’s definitely a good indication that their fitness level is where we want it to be,” he said. “If we can start working, get a little more speed in there then they are going to be really prepared and swimming fast in these upcoming meets.”

For more information on the Prince Albert Sharks including team schedules, visit their website at www.pasharks.ca.